S2 E13 Bartlet's Third State of the Union
by JDPostEpisodeChallenge
Summary: Post Ep by ghostlyandcoastly
1. Chapter 1

"We have always found the wisdom and strength to come together as one nation." President Bartlet's poise and leadership strikes me in my heart as I'm watching him on the TV. "To widen the circle of opportunity…" I feel a sense of pride about working for this incredible man. I feel Josh rustling beside me and I'm reminded again how grateful I am to Josh for giving me this chance, to be here. Most days, Josh is the thorn in my side. Especially today, he's been in Peak Josh mode (I mean really! The man just yelled at a room full of strangers about whether they have accents. Tact, Joshua, tact.) But right now my annoyance is drowned out by a sense of warmth.

"God bless you and God bless the United States of America!" I immediately feel the tension leave Josh's body beside me. I feel a certain release of nerves myself. We were all high strung leading up to this speech.

"Woohoo!" Josh yelps, clapping. I stand with him, knowing that any second he'll come down from the soap box of glory and be in business mode for polling. "Up there is where this President eats! It's his place of business! Yes! He did well." Ah, apparently not at this second though.

"Yeah!" We do our little back and forth about whether Joey Lucas is supposed to have given me specific instructions to have given him. I don't love his tone but I'm riding a high of excitement at this moment! Nothing will bring me down! I am the Deputy Deputy Chief of Staff to the President and the President is a great man.

"Josh Lyman, you have the cutest butt in professional politics." Okay, maybe that could bring me down. I glue my smile in place but I need not have bothered. Neither Joey or Josh are paying attention to me. Of course.

Okay. Except for the gum comment. That swept Josh's attention to me. Purely for gloating purposes. I take back what I said earlier. Josh Lyman is _many_ thorns in my side.

Later when Josh is doing his Josh thing and being generally irksome, I realize that there's no way Joey can handle him. I can handle him. Look, even now, he keeps looking at me in crisis mode. I'm like a human stress ball for Josh. Okay, I don't love the comparison either! But I know how to deal with Josh in a mood. Joey doesn't! She's not resistant like I am. She can't bounce back from Josh tantrums like I can!

"And we'll get dragged down by a news cycle that won't end." He throws his leg up on the chair next to him. God, he's attractive. Maybe that's why I said what I said next.

"You should ask her out." WHAT. WHY. NO. BAD DONNA.

"I'm sorry?" He knows exactly what I said so I double down.

"You should ask Joey out. Tonight could be the night."

"The night to do what?" Jesus, does he need me to spell it out for him? The night to make her forget about Al Keiffer, you jackass. To sleep with her and do the whole gloating floating man routine tomorrow.

"To ask her out." I say because I'm sure as hell not going to tell him to screw her- at least not out loud.

He tells me to go get a donut but I can see he's thinking about it. Maybe he's just uncomfortable having sex thoughts around me. That's depressing.

I know it may seem like I'm in denial of my feelings but I haven't been for a while. Since the shooting. It became painfully clear that my feelings for Josh were beyond what was appropriate or returned.

It takes me a little bit to shake myself out of those thoughts. I can't be thinking about this now. It's distracting and if I get distracted, even Josh in all his oblivion when it comes to women, will notice that something is up. Have to keep up Operation Peppy Sassy Assistant Pal. There are many reasons I'm not a higher up in the military. My inability to create good operation names is one of them. It might lack poetry or brevity or cleverness but it gets the point across… to me.

I find him on the couch reading Vogue magazine. Oh, Joshua. Trying his very best to keep himself entertained. Operation Peppy Sassy Assistant Pal can help! We do the whole bit and I am glad when he stops me from having to ask Joey out for him as I so gallantly offered. I tune out their bantering about when the early numbers will be ready. My ears peak up at Kenny saying…

"You're an egomaniac who needs to know the public loves you." She's read him all wrong. Listen, this is not some ranting of a woman in love, dying to protect her man's reputation. I know Josh is an egomaniac! I've witnessed it more than anyone! But right now his tantrum isn't about that. It's about him feeling responsible. He's been sent here to watch over the polling and he wants to bring back good news. He wants to know the information so he can start a strategy. He wants to do a good job. He wants to _do_ his job. Period. Josh Lyman is not the kind of man to lounge around reading Vogue magazine, waiting on someone else.

Oh no. The power just went out.

Josh is going to lose it.

Later when I get off the phone with the electric company, I'm doing a great job with Operation Peppy Sassy Assistant Pal. Til Joey Lucas does her slide and bump into Josh thing. Ugh. She's both charming and aggravating.

Josh walks away to talk to Sam.

"Hey, Donna, you okay?" Joey asks me. I look up in surprise.

"What? Of course! I'm used to this Josh-"

"I don't mean about Josh being impatient. Just… if there's anything going on between you and Josh. It's just harmless flirting us, you know." Joey informs me.

Nerves bubble up inside me.

"Trust me, _nothing_ is going on with me and Josh. I'm all for you two! I've tried to tell him to ask you out! You guys would be- you would have fun. I'm all for fun. I really might lead us all in song." I ramble, trying to stick the verbal landing with a joke. Then I remember Joey wouldn't have heard my conversation with Sam and Kenny wouldn't have signed a background conversation with her. Joey gives me a knowing smile and walks off. Apparently I haven't been doing a great job hiding my feelings. Or maybe Joey just has a sixth sense about this. Yes, that's definitely more plausible. I am great at hiding my feelings for Josh.

I'm a little freaked out by my conversation with Joey. I try to focus on pestering Josh. Not for the sake of Operation Peppy Sassy Assistant. Just because it's fun and distracting and the power is out and Josh is frustrated and maybe a little bit sexy when he gets that _Donna I am humoring you and not happy about it_ voice.

I'm on the phone with Sam again when Josh yells at Joey. Oof. Maybe I pushed him a little too far with the looting, getting on nerves joke.

After his phone call with Sam, he walks over to me and speaks quietly.

"Something's happening. I have to go back. You'll stay here?" I appreciate that it's phrased as a question even though we both know it's not.

"Okay. Do good." I say, not knowing what the situation is but if it requires Josh's immediate return it's bound to be important.

"Just. Keep me informed. The second- the second you know anything-" He places his hands on my shoulders so I know to take him seriously. As if I wasn't before.

"I'll call you." I tell him quickly. I've been at this job for a little while. I know to take it seriously. Not that I'm particularly looking forward to the rest of the night with Joey, worried about if she'll corner about my feelings for Josh. Josh nods and starts to turn away but steps closer to me after a second.

"I'm not going to ask her out so no need for your mischief tonight, 'kay?" He adds. His tone is amused but something in his eyes tells me he's trying to say more. I'm not sure what to make of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that night, I'm finally home. I've just taken off my bra and sweater, feeling much more comfortable. I collapse on my bed in my tank top, heels and trousers. Just as I kick off one of my shoes, I hear the buzzer go off in three quick successions. Ugh. Why couldn't he just call!? I needed some space from Josh after tonight. My feelings were all too distracting.

"DONNA!" He bellows. Jesus, he's going to wake up my neighbors. I get out of bed and buzz him up, kicking off the other shoe on the way. The floor is cold on my bare feet but it feels nice since it's sore.

He doesn't knock on my door, he just comes in. He looks tired.

"Pleeeease tell me we don't have to go back in." I groan. He meets my eyes. It's the same look from before when he said he wasn't going to ask out Joey Lucas.

"Nope." He answers cryptically.

"Why are you here then? We already went over the poll num-" I cut myself off. He's just stepped closer to me. His hands are folded behind his back so he's not actually touching me but I can feel his body heat. "-bers." I finish lamely, taking a step back to get some air back in my lungs.

"You've been weird all day." He states.

"What? No, I haven't. _You_ have been weird all day. I don't know what in the world you're talking about." I insist.

"I do notice some things, Donna. Why have you been weird?" He looks serious and it's leaving me a little breathless.

"Uh, my cat died." I lie. His lips quirk up.

"You don't have a cat."

"You're right. That's because he died."

"Ah, and you've been in such mourning for this cat that you've never mentioned that you tried to pawn Joey Lucas off on me all day?" He's using his _I'm humoring you and I am enjoying it_ voice. It is also hot.

"The two things are unrelated. You two would simply have a good time, I think. Really, you need to work off some of whatever crazy has gotten into you." I try to shift the focus on him. Normally he'd take the bait but he seems quite determined tonight. I walk past him to the kitchen, for a moment of reprieve. He follows behind me. "Do you want anything? Water? Beer? Tea?"

"Nope. I'm good." He pops the P, seeming absolutely delighted that he's unnerved me. I repeat. _Thorns. Many. Many. Thorns. In. My. Side._

"What do you want!?" I give up and turn to him, throwing my arms up.

"Why are you telling me to go out with Joey Lucas? Honestly." His teasing tone is gone now.

"I don't know." I admit a half-truth.

"I have a theory." I roll my eyes at him. Of course, he does. I gesture for him to get on with it. He pauses purely to irritate me. "You like me. You want me to ask you out." I tense up a little.

"You're an egomaniac." I tell him.

"Yeah?" He challenges.

"That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If I liked you, why would I tell you- no, insist! That you ask Joey out?" I challenge back. His eyebrow quirks up.

"You're a strange woman."

"You're a jackass." I tell him. Because he is. I'm pretty sure my face is red from embarrassment, pretty much confirming his theory. I turn around to get water, hopefully to cool down but his hand on my hip stops me. And my breathing.

"Donna, go out with me." He whispers into my hair as he steps closer. It sends a shiver down my back.

"We can't." I whisper back, still not turning to look at him.

"Donna, I like you too. I don't want to go out with Joey Lucas. You're who I want to go out with. Joey Lucas doesn't hold a candle to you." he sounds sincere. Not like he's simply trying to convince me or to seduce me. I turn to him finally. His eyes are begging me to believe him.

"Oh." I say. Because I am smart and peppy and sassy and witty.

"Oh? _That's_ what you have to say!?" He steps back, looking at me all exasperated. This is the Josh I can handle. I smile at him.

"Well I'm flattered but…" I let it hang there for a moment as horror comes across his features but my giggle gives it away. His eyes go from saucers to slits as he glares at me.

"You're a mean woman."

"First you call me strange. Now you call me mean? Is this really how you woo a girl?" I ask innocently.

"So you want me to woo you?" He raises an eyebrow.

"You could try." I shrug.

"You doubt me?" He asks.

"Well it takes away from the romance of it all if you have me send flowers to myself." I tell him.

"You know I lived my life for thirty six years without any help from you. I can order flowers myself."

"I'll believe it when I see it. I have no proof that you actually functioned without me." We're both smiling now, using our _we're humoring each other and loving it_ voices.

"If you want the woo, I can bring the woo." He assures me, stepping closer. My nerves take hold of me for a second but his hand reaches for my face. "Donnatella Moss, I love you." My heart stops. My breathing stops. My world stops. It's just those honest brown eyes staring into mine.

"I don't need the woo." I whisper and lean in to kiss him. He's surprised and timid for all of two seconds before he slides his tongue into my mouth. It's a while before we come up for air. When we do, we stand with our foreheads pressed together, breathing hard. His right arm is around my waist, grabbing at my ass while his left hand strokes my cheek gently.

"This is okay?" Josh asks. I can hear how turned on he is with just a tinge of insecurity. I slowly unwrap myself from his arms.

"This is more than okay, Joshua." I hop on the counter behind me and pull him by the lapel into me. His eyes go from confusion and hurt to looking like he could take me right there. And if I was lucky, he would.

I was lucky.

We had sex on my kitchen counter then moved to my bedroom for cuddling and round two. Round two was less fast and grabby. He studied my body. It made me feel a little insecure at first. I had never had anyone pay that close attention to my reactions and details and contours of my body. He noticed when I tensed up, when I started to control how loud I was or how much I was moaning. He stopped what he was doing and rolled on his side. His head rested on his hand and he waited for me to start talking.

"This is just a lot." I admit.

"Yeah, sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you. I wasn't coming over here just to ya know. I thought you wanted-"

"I know." I punctuate this with a kiss. "I know you didn't. I was just as actively involved in this as you. I wanted this. I _want_ this. It's just a little odd having you see me… like this." His gaze trailed down my body. He smiled.

"Odd? Well, I have to say I'm personally a fan." His grin widens as he looks me in the eyes again. "You don't have anything to be insecure about." I raise my eyebrow at this. "Wait, what could you possibly be insecure about!?" He exclaims. I look away from him now, feeling awkward. I didn't think I'd ever be having this conversation with Josh.

"Every girl has problems with her body, Joshua." I tell him, trying to be casual about it.

"Donnatella…" He whispers. I look over at him, feeling particularly vulnerable. "I don't know if you'll believe me but you should because I consider myself an expert on your body. Yeah, I know it's pervy of me but whatever. That's not the point right now. I've spent a lot of time looking at you and I have yet to find a single flaw. Of course, until now, it's been with quite a few layers on but I've imagined you, ya know," Now Josh is getting all red and rambly. "And I have to say the reality is even more stunning than the fantasy."

Josh sometimes knows just what to say. I pull him closer once again and this time work on studying _his_ body. At some point in that, he regains control (which I have to say I really really enjoy that part) and just when he has me coming down from an amazing orgasm where I may have screamed his name, he gets that grin of mischief.

"So I shouldn't ask out Joey Lucas?" I answer him by punching his arm. He laughs at me.

THORNS, MANY THORNS, I TELL YOU. IN. MY. SIDE.

 **Thanks for reading! Xx ghostlyandcoastly**


End file.
